Q: Is Cole the real deal? The Heat will need him to play substantial minutes. — Chet

A: He certainly looked good during Thursday’s scrimmage and I really want to see him Sunday against Jameer Nelson. To be honest, I blew off his chances at the start of camp simply because of the limitations the lockout placed on his development. What I didn’t account for was his maturity as a four-year collegian. While Spoelstra insisted Chalmers is his starter, it is a Heat tradition, after all, to replace Chalmers with someone else at midseason, be it Alston, Arroyo or Bibby. So who knows, the kid just might be a rotation piece after all.

Q: Any chance a point guard from the Clippers shakes loose now that they’ve acquired Chris Paul? After all, they have Eric Bledsoe, Mo Williams, Chauncey Billups and Randy Foye, in addition to Chris Paul. — James.

A: With the amnesty deadline at hand, it appears the Clippers will hold on to Mo Williams as a swing guard, especially with Bledsoe sidelined for the start of the season. If Mike Miller was healthy, he could help the Clippers on the wing and perhaps allow one of those point guards to shake free. But I’m not sure anyone currently would take on Mike with his injuries and contract.

A: Only if you think Derrick Rose is better than LeBron James, Carlos Boozer is better than Chris Bosh and Luol Deng is better than Dwyane Wade. Yes, the Bulls have quality depth now, as well as Joakim Noah in the middle. But perspective please. I do agree that Hamilton, if he is what he use to be, certainly helps Chicago in those late-game situations.

Q: I know we have lots of wing players, but isn’t Andrei Kirilenko an upgrade over James Jones? — Julio.

A: Sure, if the Heat had the money to afford him, which they don’t. The Nets are taking a look and Sacramento has interest. But the type of money it would take to get AK47 back from Russia simply is not available to the Heat. And it’s not as if the Heat have anything to offer Utah in a sign-and-trade. It’s like saying Samuel Dalembert is better than Joel Anthony. That’s not the point.

Q: I’d like to hear your thoughts about how the owners spent frivolously this offseason after claiming that they were bleeding money. Sure, the new CBA puts more money in the owners’ pockets, but it did nothing to curb the poor front-office management that plagues the NBA, which is the real root of the problem. — Alex.

A: The reality is the teams with money will continue to spend it and the small-market owners will continue to grouse. I find it humorous that David Stern is being credited for keeping Chris Paul from the Lakers. Instead, he simply loaded-up another big-market franchise, in the Clippers.

Adrian, I’m not taking it personally but there a big diffrence in pot (natural) and cocaine (chemicals)
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That is probably true, but I say there is an even bigger difference between beer (legal) and pot (illegal, despite being “natural”)

So how long has Spo been extended for? Until June 2012? But seriously, this doesn’t change anything. If he doesn’t win it all, he is gone. They did it to avoid more distractions and so that the national media would take it easier on him.

I personally never smoked weed, which is a rarity because I went to a high scholl were approximately 90% of kids did at some point. However, i’ve had plenty of friends who smoked weed and they weren’t criminals by any means.

Look, it’s illegal. So technically, if they were smoking it, they were participating in an illegal activity. Of course it’s not the same as holding up a liquor store, but both activities can end with shiny new metal bracelets on your wrists.

Ardian I understand, but who gets to decide what’s right and what’s wrong. I’m sure the government gets things wrong more often than they get it right. The health effects of Marijuana are similar to alcohol…and I don’t think you consider people who drink to be criminals?

Spo better pray that the 3 guys carry him to the championship and not just the finals this year. He was owned so badly by Carlisle that even Cuaban laughed about it. There are no excuses this year at all.

Ardian, I agree in general with your stance and understand you weren’t taking a shot at anyone, but you lost me with “what’s wrong with a beer or burboun?”

You can’t convince me that an athlete who drinks is treating their body any better than an athlete that smokes pot, or does coke for that matter- simply because there’s no scientific evidence because the US government won’t allow appropriate research to be done.

I get that alcohol is legal and illicit drugs are not, and fully agree that athletes have at least some responsibility or moral obligation to the kids that worship them.

Ehh, everything is bad for your body if used in excess, but a six pack and a couple of shots on a Friday night will not hurt too much other than a small hangover. But I do see your point. Smoking whatever has got to be worse for your body than distilled spirits. Man has been making and drinking beer and wine for ten thousand years.

The only difference between beer and weed, is its easier to control and legislate the sale and brewing of beer. Whats really keeping the government from making weed legal is not the effects, its being able to control it. Nobody has beer stills in their house, but its much too easy to grow weed in your backyard and sell it on the streets tax free….

Its more than possible. I use to play with cats who played much better high because they weren’t concerned about sh*t but playing. Wether u believe that or not, u mean to tell me that cocaine didn’t help Lawerence Taylor rack up a few sacks and big hits every now and then? lol

I do agree with Ardian that too much is bad. I had this friend(he was 25 or 25) a few years ago who would smoke weed ALL day. If he ran out, he would drive to his dealer and get some more. Dude was very irresponsible and he seemed out of it at times. Anything in excess is not good. Now I don’t even talk to the guy. He was a bit crazy and I think all the weed he smoked had a little to do with it honestly.

Geesh, this is twice now I have been outnumbered and loudly beat down for saying drugs (pot mainly) are the scourge of our society. Yes, I drink on weekends. No, I never drink and drive. I have a nice pub w/i walking distance. My children also hardly ever see me buzzed, but it has happened.

Adrian, Its just proven the alchool is worst than mary jane. Your intoxicating your body, with mary jane there nothing toxic about it. The only negative about it is your short term memory can become affected when high for instance youll et up for some Cheetos walk to the kitchen then forget what you wanted, sit back down then remember I wanted the Cheetos.:)

it’s a brave new world we live in sir. there is scientific evidence that supports the notion that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and definitely less harmful than cigarettes. plus it feels great. marijuana is becoming more legitimate.

Sorry Ardian, didn’t mean to get involved in a loud beatdown- that’s two days in a row for me I helped veer the blog waaay off topic.

I have much respect for your views and opinions. I was respectfully disagreeing and trying to make my point in a way that I hoped was respectful if not slightly humorous, which was just maybe to broaden your viewpoint a little bit- as I’ve found you tend to be open minded in discussions.

The guy Kevin described represents the downside of weed, which I admit exists. I’m sure I don’t have to give you any examples of the downsides of alcohol. That doesn’t mean you’re irresponsible with your drinking, but many are, as many can use weed in moderation, and some just can’t.

Don’t sweat it, I am used to losing arguments in my own house! (My wife and daughter have perfected the art of teaming up on me)
I know pot is a minor drug, and the effects are not all that strong I guess. But, as of right now, it is still a Class A drug, which believe it or not is a much worse legal category than some much stronger drugs used by people to get high. That’s a federal law, which trumps any laws made by states or communities that may be trying to decriminalize it. So basically, as I see it, if you ignore the consequences based on popular dogma about the acceptance of it’s use, you are still risking your freedom. I just do not want either of my kids to make a life decision that could put them in a federal prison because their buddies tell them it’s ok, or less harmful than beer, or a conspiracy of some sort. When the laws change, my attitude will with it. But as a parent my concerns might be a litlle different.
I have no beef with smokers, I just question their reasoning on risk/reward.

One last thing and I’m getting off my soapbox (for the day at least)- You can drink yourself to death in one sitting. You can’t weed yourself to death in one sitting, unless maybe you can manage to eat a pound without throwing up or falling asleep.

Kevin, Weed makes no one crazy sir, it was your friend. You said you know a lot of guys who did it well did they act like that “crazy” friend of yours. It’s the individual not the mary jane that guy like that. With or Without it he’ll prob be the same guy.

IRA WINDERMAN is embarking on his 24th season covering the Miami Heat for the Sun-Sentinel, witnessing more than 1,900 of the team's games (thus the bags under the eyes and hair loss not truly depicted by the accompanying photo). With the help of antacids (during the lean years) and a sense of humor (during the Riley dictatorship), he has been able to remain a courtside fixture at AmericanAirlines Arena, a veteran 12 years older than coach Erik Spoelstra. Only former trainer Ron Culp had attended more Heat games, but, then again, Winderman has yet to tape his first ankle.